Antibodies specific for Hu-B1.219, a novel hematopoietin receptor

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a novel member of the hematopoietin receptor family, herein referred to as Hu-B1.219. In particular, the invention relates to nucleotide sequences and expression vectors encoding Hu-B1.219 gene product. Genetically engineered host cells that express the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence may be used to evaluate and screen for ligands or drugs involved in Hu-B1.219 interaction and regulation. Since Hu-B1.219 expression has been detected in certain human fetal tissues and cancer cells, molecular probes designed from its nucleotide sequence may be useful for prenatal testing and cancer diagnosis.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/355,888, filed Dec. 14, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,211; which is a continuation-in-part, of application Ser. No. 08/306,231, filed Sep. 14, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,748.

1. INTRODUCTION

The present invention relates to a novel member of the hematopoietin receptor family, herein referred to as Hu-B1.219. In particular, the invention relates to nucleotide sequences and expression vectors encoding Hu-B1.219 gene product. Genetically engineered host cells that express the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence may be used to evaluate and screen for ligands or drugs involved in Hu-B1.219 interaction and regulation. Since Hu-B1.219 expression has been detected in certain human fetal tissues and cancer cells, molecular probes designed from its nucleotide sequence may be useful for prenatal testing and cancer diagnosis.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A variety of diseases, including malignancy and immunodeficiency, are related to malfunction within the lympho-hematopoietic system. Some of these conditions could be alleviated and/or cured by repopulating the hematopoietic system with progenitor cells, which when triggered to differentiate would overcome the patient's deficiency. Therefore, the ability to initiate and regulate hematopoiesis is of great importance (McCune et al., 1988, Science 241:1632).

The process of blood cell formation, by which a small number of self-renewing stem cells give rise to lineage specific progenitor cells that subsequently undergo proliferation and differentiation to produce the mature circulating blood cells has been shown to be at least in part regulated by specific hormones. These hormones are collectively known as hematopoietic growth factors or cytokines (Metcalf, 1985, Science 229:16; Dexter, 1987, J. Cell Sci. 88:1; Golde and Gasson, 1988, Scientific American, July:62; Tabbara and Robinson, 1991, Anti-Cancer Res. 11:81; Ogawa, 1989, Environ. Health Presp. 80:199; Dexter, 1989, Br. Med. Bull. 45:337).

With the advent of recombinant DNA technology, the genes encoding a number of these molecules have now been molecularly cloned and expressed in recombinant form (Souza et al., 1986, Science 232:61; Gough et al., 1984, Nature 309:763; Yokota et al., 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81:1070; Kawasaki et al., 1985, Science 230:291). These cytokines have been studied in their structure, biology and even therapeutic potential. Some of the most well characterized factors include erythropoietin (EPO), stem cell factor (SCF), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), and the interleukins (IL-1 to IL-14).

These factors act on different cell types at different stages during blood cell development, and their potential uses in medicine are far-reaching which include blood transfusions, bone marrow transplantation, correcting immunosuppressive disorders, cancer therapy, wound healing, and activation of the immune response. (Golde and Gasson, 1988, Scientific American, July:62).

Apart from inducing proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells, such cytokines have also been shown to activate a number of functions of mature blood cells (Stanley et al., 1976, J. Exp. Med. 143:631; Schrader et al., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:323; Moore et al., 1980, J. Immunol. 125:1302; Kurland et al., 1979, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76:2326; Handman and Burgess, 1979, J. Immunol. 122:1134; Vadas et al., 1983, Blood 61:1232; Vadas et al., 1983, J. Immunol. 130:795), including influencing the migration of mature hematopoietic cells (Weibart et al., 1986, J. Immunol. 137:3584).

Cytokines exert their effects on target cells by binding to specific cell surface receptors. A number of cytokine receptors have been identified and the genes encoding them molecularly cloned. Several cytokine receptors have recently been classified into a hematopoietin receptor (HR) superfamily. The grouping of these receptors was based on the conservation of key amino acid motifs in the extracellular domains (Bazan, 1990, Immunology Today 11:350) (FIG. 1). The HR family is defined by three conserved motifs in the extracellular domain of these receptors. The first is a Trp-Ser-X-Trp-Ser (WSXWS box) motif (SEQ ID NO:1) which is highly conserved and located amino-terminal to the transmembrane domain. Most members of the HR family contain this motif. The second consists of four conserved cysteine residues located in the amino-terminal half of the extracellular region. The third is a conserved fibronectin Type III (FN III) domain which is located between the WSXWS box and the cysteines. The members of the HR family include receptors for ligands such as erythropoietin (EPO), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) (Fukunaga, 1990, Cell 61:341), granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, and IL-2 (β-subunit) (Cosman, 1990, TIBS 15:265).

Ligands for the HR are critically involved in the maturation and differentiation of blood cells. For example, IL-3 promotes the proliferation of early multilineage pluripotent stem cells, and synergizes with EPO to produce red cells. IL-6 and IL-3 synergize to induce proliferation of early hematopoietic precursors. GM-CSF has been shown to induce the proliferation of granulocytes as well as increase macrophage function. IL-7 is a bone marrow-derived cytokine that plays a role in producing immature T and B lymphocytes. IL-4 induces proliferation of antigen-primed B cells and antigen-specific T cells. Thus, members of this receptor superfamily are involved in the regulation of the hematopoietic system.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a novel member of the HR family, referred to as Hu-B1.219. In particular, it relates to the nucleotide sequences, expression vectors, host cells expressing the Hu-B1.219 gene, and proteins encoded by the sequences.

The invention is based, in part, upon Applicants' discovery of a cDNA clone, Hu-B1.219, isolated from a human fetal liver cDNA library. While the nucleotide sequence of this clone shares certain homology with other HR genes, it is also unique in its structure. Three forms of Hu-B1.219 have been identified, and they differ in sequence only at their 3' ends. The sequences are expressed in certain human fetal and tumor cells. Therefore, a wide variety of uses are encompassed by the present invention, including but not limited to, the diagnosis of cancer, the marking of fetal tissues, and the screening of ligands and compounds that bind the receptor molecule encoded by Hu-B1.219.

For the purpose of the present invention, the designation Hu-B1.219 refers to the complete cDNA sequence disclosed in FIGS. 2A-2E. In addition, Hu-B1.219 also refers to the partial coding sequences within the cDNA sequence of FIGS. 2A-2E.

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. A schematic drawing of conserved regions shared by members of HR family.

FIGS. 2A-2G. Nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:6) and deduced amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NOS:3,8,9) of Hu-B1.219. Form 1 (SEQ ID NO:10); Form 2 (SEQ ID NO:13); Form 3 SEQ ID NO:16)

FIG. 3A. Comparison of 3' end nucleotide sequences of the three forms of the Hu-B1.219.

FIG. 3B. Comparison of 3' end amino acid sequences of the three forms of Hu-B1.219 Form 1 (SEQ ID NOS:11,12); Form 2 (SEQ ID NOS:14,15); Form 3 (SEQ ID NOS:17,18,19). The * symbol indicates a stop codon.

FIG. 4. Comparison of the spacing of conserved amino acids in the FN III domain between HR genes and Hu-B1.219.

FIG. 5. Comparison of conserved motifs between HR molecules and Hu-B1.219 in "Block 3" mIL2Rβ (SEQ ID NO:20); hIL2Rγ (SEQ ID NO:21); mIL5Rα (SEQ ID NO:22); mEPOR (SEQ ID NO:23); Hu-B1.219(5') (SEQ ID NO:24); Hu-B1.219(3') (SEQ ID NO:25).

FIG. 6. Comparison of conserved motifs between HR molecules and Hu-B1.219 in "Block 6" mIL-2Rβ (SEQ ID NO:26); hIL-2Rγ (SEQ ID NO:27); mIL-5Rα (SEQ ID NO:28); mEPOR (SEQ ID NO:29); Hu-B1.219(5') (SEQ ID NO:30); Hu-B1.219(3') (SEQ ID NO:31).

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

5.1. The Hu-B1.219 Coding Sequence

The present invention relates to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of a novel member of the HR family. In a specific embodiment by way of example in Section 6, infra, a new member of this HR family of receptors was cloned and characterized. The nucleotide coding sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of the novel receptor are unique, and the receptor is referred to as Hu-B1.219. In accordance with the invention, any nucleotide sequence which encodes the amino acid sequence of the Hu-B1.219 gene product can be used to generate recombinant molecules which direct the expression of Hu-B1.219 gene.

Analysis of the Hu-B1.219 sequence revealed significant homology to the FN III domain of the HR family indicating that it was a member of the HR family of receptors. The shared homology between Hu-B1.219 and other known members of the HR family is discussed in Section 6.2, infra. However, this receptor also contains regions of previously unreported unique nucleotide sequences.

Northern blot hybridization analysis, indicates that Hu-B1.219 mRNA is highly expressed in cells of hematopoietic origin. In addition, the Hu-B1.219 sequence is expressed in certain tumor cells.

In order to clone the full length cDNA sequence encoding the entire Hu-B1.219 cDNA or to clone variant forms of the molecule, labeled DNA probes made from nucleic acid fragments corresponding to any portion of the partial cDNA disclosed herein may be used to screen the human fetal liver cDNA library. More specifically, oligonucleotides corresponding to either the 5' or 3' terminus of the partial cDNA sequence may be used to obtain longer nucleotide sequences. Briefly, the library may be plated out to yield a maximum of 30,000 pfu for each 150 mm plate. Approximately 40 plates may be screened. The plates are incubated at 37° C. until the plaques reach a diameter of 0.25 mm or are just beginning to make contact with one another (3-8 hours). Nylon filters are placed onto the soft top agarose and after 60 seconds, the filters are peeled off and floated on a DNA denaturing solution consisting of 0.4N sodium hydroxide. The filters are then immersed in neutralizing solution consisting of 1M Tris HCL, pH 7.5, before being allowed to air dry. The filters are prehybridized in casein hybridization buffer containing 10% dextran sulfate, 0.5M NaCl, 50 mM Tris HCL, pH 7.5, 0.1% sodium pyrosphosphate, 1% casein, 1% SDS, and denatured salmon sperm DNA at 0.5 mg/ml for 6 hours at 60° C. The radiolabeled probe is then denatured by heating to 95° C. for 2 minutes and then added to the prehybridization solution containing the filters. The filters are hybridized at 60° C. for 16 hours. The filters are then washed in 1× wash mix (10× wash mix contains 3M NaCl, 0.6M Tris base, and 0.02M EDTA) twice for 5 minutes each at room temperature, then in 1× wash mix containing 1% SDS at 60° C. for 30 minutes, and finally in 0.3× wash mix containing 0.1% SDS at 60° C. for 30 minutes. The filters are then air dried and exposed to x-ray film for autoradiography. After developing, the film is aligned with the filters to select a positive plaque. If a single, isolated positive plaque cannot be obtained, the agar plug containing the plaques will be removed and placed in lambda dilution buffer containing 0.1M NaCl, 0.01M magnesium sulfate, 0.035M Tris HCl, pH 7.5, 0.01% gelatin. The phage may then be replated and rescreened to obtain single, well isolated positive plaques. Positive plaques may be isolated and the cDNA clones sequenced using primers based on the known cDNA sequence. This step may be repeated until a full length cDNA is obtained.

It may be necessary to screen multiple cDNA libraries from different tissues to obtain a full length cDNA. In the event that it is difficult to identify cDNA clones encoding the complete 5' terminal coding region, an often encountered situation in cDNA cloning, the RACE (Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends) technique may be used. RACE is a proven PCR-based strategy for amplifying the 5' end of incomplete cDNAs. 5'-RACE-Ready cDNA synthesized from human fetal liver containing a unique anchor sequence is commercially available (Clontech). To obtain the 5' end of the cDNA, PCR is carried out on 5'-RACE-Ready cDNA using the provided anchor primer and the 3' primer. A secondary PCR reaction is then carried out using the anchored primer and a nested 3' primer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once obtained, the full length cDNA sequence may be translated into amino acid sequence and examined for certain landmarks such as a continuous open reading frame flanked by translation initiation and termination sites, a potential signal sequence and transmembrane domain, and finally overall structural similarity to known HR genes.

5.2. Expression of Hu-B1.219 Sequence

In accordance with the invention, Hu-B1.219 polynucleotide sequence which encodes the Hu-B1.219 protein, peptide fragments of Hu-B1.219, Hu-B1.219 fusion proteins or functional equivalents thereof, may be used to generate recombinant DNA molecules that direct the expression of Hu-B1.219 protein, Hu-B1.219 peptide fragment, fusion proteins or a functional equivalent thereof, in appropriate host cells. Such Hu-B1.219 polynucleotide sequences, as well as other polynucleotides which selectively hybridize to at least a part of such Hu-B1.219 polynucleotides or their complements, may also be used in nucleic acid hybridization assays, Southern and Northern blot analyses, etc.

Due to the inherent degeneracy of the genetic code, other DNA sequences which encode substantially the same or a functionally equivalent amino acid sequence, may be used in the practice of the invention for the cloning and expression of the Hu-B1.219 protein. Such DNA sequences include those which are capable of hybridizing to the human Hu-B1.219 sequences under stringent conditions. The phrase "stringent conditions" as used herein refers to those hybridizing conditions that (1) employ low ionic strength and high temperature for washing, for example, 0.015 M NaCl/0.0015 M sodium citrate/0.1% SDS at 50° C.; (2) employ during hybridization a denaturing agent such as formamide, for example, 50% (vol/vol) formamide with 0.1% bovine serum albumin/0.1% Ficoll/0.1% polyvinylpyrrolidone/50 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 6.5 with 750 mM NaCl, 75 mM sodium citrate at 42° C.; or (3) employ 50% formamide, 5×SSC (0.75 M NaCl, 0.075 M Sodium pyrophosphate, 5×Denhardt's solution, sonicated salmon sperm DNA (50 g/ml), 0.1% SDS, and 10% dextran sulfate at 42° C., with washes at 42° C. in 0.2×SSC and 0.1% SDS.

Altered DNA sequences which may be used in accordance with the invention include deletions, additions or substitutions of different nucleotide residues resulting in a sequence that encodes the same or a functionally equivalent gene product. The gene product itself may contain deletions, additions or substitutions of amino acid residues within a Hu-B1.219 sequence, which result in a silent change thus producing a functionally equivalent Hu-B1.219 protein. Such amino acid substitutions may be made on the basis of similarity in polarity, charge, solubility, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, and/or the amphipathic nature of the residues involved. For example, negatively charged amino acids include aspartic acid and glutamic acid; positively charged amino acids include lysine, histidine and arginine; amino acids with uncharged polar head groups having similar hydrophilicity values include the following: glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine; and amino acids with nonpolar head groups include alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, proline, methionine, tryptophan.

The DNA sequences of the invention may be engineered in order to alter an Hu-B1.219 coding sequence for a variety of ends including but not limited to alterations which modify processing and expression of the gene product. For example, mutations may be introduced using techniques which are well known in the art, e.g., site-directed mutagenesis, to insert new restriction sites, to alter glycosylation patterns, phosphorylation, etc.

In another embodiment of the invention, an Hu-B1.219 or a modified Hu-B1.219 sequence may be ligated to a heterologous sequence to encode a fusion protein. For example, for screening of peptide libraries for inhibitors or stimulators of Hu-B1.219 activity, it may be useful to encode a chimeric Hu-B1.219 protein expressing a heterologous epitope that is recognized by a commercially available antibody. A fusion protein may also be engineered to contain a cleavage site located between a Hu-B1.219 sequence and the heterologous protein sequence, so that the Hu-B1.219 may be cleaved away from the heterologous moiety.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the coding sequence of a Hu-B1.219 could be synthesized in whole or in part, using chemical methods well known in the art. See, for example, Caruthers et al., 1980, Nuc. Acids Res. Symp. Ser. 7:215-233; Crea and Horn, 180, Nuc. Acids Res. 9(10):2331; Matteucci and Caruthers, 1980, Tetrahedron Letters 21:719; and Chow and Kempe, 1981, Nuc. Acids Res. 9(12):2807-2817. Alternatively, the protein itself could be produced using chemical methods to synthesize an Hu-B1.219 amino acid sequence in whole or in part. For example, peptides can be synthesized by solid phase techniques, cleaved from the r`esin, and purified by preparative high performance liquid chromatography. (e.g., see Creighton, 1983, Proteins Structures And Molecular Principles, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York. pp. 50-60). The composition of the synthetic peptides may be confirmed by amino acid analysis or sequencing (e.g., the Edman degradation procedure; see Creighton, 1983, Proteins, Structures and Molecular Principles, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York, pp. 34-49).

In order to express a biologically active Hu-B1.219, the nucleotide sequence coding for Hu-B1.219, or a functional equivalent, is inserted into an appropriate expression vector, i.e., a vector which contains the necessary elements for the transcription and translation of the inserted coding sequence. The Hu-B1.219 gene products as well as host cells or cell lines transfected or transformed with recombinant Hu-B1.219 expression vectors can be used for a variety of purposes. These include but are not limited to generating antibodies (i.e., monoclonal or polyclonal) that competitively inhibit activity of an Hu-B1.219 and neutralize its activity; and antibodies that mimic the activity of Hu-B1.219 ligands in stimulating the receptor to transmit an intracellular signal. Anti-Hu-B1.219 antibodies may be used in detecting and quantifying expression of Hu-B1.219 levels in cells and tissues.

5.3. Expression Systems

Methods which are well known to those skilled in the art can be used to construct expression vectors containing the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence and appropriate transcriptional/translational control signals. These methods include in vitro recombinant DNA techniques, synthetic techniques and in vivo recombination/genetic recombination. See, for example, the techniques described in Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York. and Ausubel et al., 1989, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Greene Publishing Associates and Wiley Interscience, New York.

A variety of host-expression vector systems may be utilized to express the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence. These include but are not limited to microorganisms such as bacteria transformed with recombinant bacteriophage DNA, plasmid DNA or cosmid DNA expression vectors containing the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence; yeast transformed with recombinant yeast expression vectors containing the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence; insect cell systems infected with recombinant virus expression vectors (e.g., baculovirus) containing the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence; plant cell systems infected with recombinant virus expression vectors (e.g., cauliflower mosaic virus, CaMV; tobacco mosaic virus, TMV) or transformed with recombinant plasmid expression vectors (e.g., Ti plasmid) containing the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence; or animal cell systems The expression elements of these systems vary in their strength and specificities. Depending on the host/vector system utilized, any of a number of suitable transcription and translation elements, including constitutive and inducible promoters, may be used in the expression vector. For example, when cloning in bacterial systems, inducible promoters such as pL of bacteriophage λ, plac, ptrp, ptac (ptrp-lac hybrid promoter) and the like may be used; when cloning in insect cell systems, promoters such as the baculovirus polyhedrin promoter may be used; when cloning in plant cell systems, promoters derived from the genome of plant cells (e.g., heat shock promoters; the promoter for the small subunit of RUBISCO; the promoter for the chlorophyll α/β binding protein) or from plant viruses (e.g., the 35S RNA promoter of CaMV; the coat protein promoter of TMV) may be used; when cloning in mammalian cell systems, promoters derived from the genome of mammalian cells (e.g., metallothionein promoter) or from mammalian viruses (e.g., the adenovirus late promoter; the vaccinia virus 7.5K promoter) may be used; when generating cell lines that contain multiple copies of the Hu-B1.219 DNA, SV40-, BPV- and EBV-based vectors may be used with an appropriate selectable marker.

In bacterial systems a number of expression vectors may be advantageously selected depending upon the use intended for the Hu-B1.219 expressed. For example, when large quantities of Hu-B1.219 are to be produced for the generation of antibodies or to screen peptide libraries, vectors which direct the expression of high levels of fusion protein products that are readily purified may be desirable. Such vectors include but are not limited to the E. coli expression vector pUR278 (Ruther et al., 1983, EMBO J. 2:1791), in which the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence may be ligated into the vector in frame with the lac Z coding region so that a hybrid AS-lac Z protein is produced; pIN vectors (Inouye & Inouye, 1985, Nucleic acids Res. 13:3101-3109; Van Heeke & Schuster, 1989, J. Biol. Chem. 264:5503-5509); and the like. pGEX vectors may also be used to express foreign polypeptides as fusion proteins with glutathione S-transferase (GST). In general, such fusion proteins are soluble and can easily be purified from lysed cells by adsorption to glutathione-agarose beads followed by elution in the presence of free glutathione. The pGEX vectors are designed to include thrombin or factor Xa protease cleavage sites so that the cloned polypeptide of interest can be released from the GST moiety.

In yeast, a number of vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters may be used. For a review see, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Vol. 2, 1988, Ed. Ausubel et al., Greene Publish. Assoc. & Wiley Interscience, Ch. 13; Grant et al., 1987, Expression and Secretion Vectors for Yeast, in Methods in Enzymology, Eds. Wu & Grossman, 1987, Acad. Press, New York, Vol. 153, pp. 516-544; Glover, 1986, DNA Cloning, Vol. II, IRL Press, Wash., D.C., Ch. 3; and Bitter, 1987, Heterologous Gene Expression in Yeast, Methods in Enzymology, Eds. Berger & Kimmel, Acad. Press, New York, Vol. 152, pp. 673-684; and The Molecular Biology of the Yeast Saccharomyces, 1982, Eds. Strathern et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Vols. I and II.

In cases where plant expression vectors are used, the expression of the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence may be driven by any of a number of promoters. For example, viral promoters such as the 35S RNA and 19S RNA promoters of CaMV (Brisson et al., 1984, Nature 310:511-514), or the coat protein promoter of TMV (Takamatsu et al., 1987, EMBO J. 6:307-311) may be used; alternatively, plant promoters such as the small subunit of RUBISCO (Coruzzi et al., 1984, EMBO J. 3:1671-1680; Broglie et al., 1984, Science 224:838-843); or heat shock promoters, e.g., soybean hsp17.5-E or hsp17.3-B (Gurley et al., 1986, Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:559-565) may be used. These constructs can be introduced into plant cells using Ti plasmids, Ri plasmids, plant virus vectors, direct DNA transformation, microinjection, electroporation, etc. For reviews of such techniques see, for example, Weissbach & Weissbach, 1988, Methods for Plant Molecular Biology, Academic Press, New York, Section VIII, pp. 421-463; and Grierson & Corey, 1988, Plant Molecular Biology, 2d Ed., Blackie, London, Ch. 7-9.

An alternative expression system which could be used to express Hu-B1.219 is an insect system. In one such system, Autographa californica nuclear polyhidrosis virus (AcNPV) is used as a vector to express foreign genes. The virus grows in Spodoptera frugiperda cells. The Hu-B1.219 coding sequence may be cloned into non-essential regions (for example the polyhedrin gene) of the virus and placed under control of an AcNPV promoter (for example the polyhedrin promoter). Successful insertion of the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence will result in inactivation of the polyhedrin gene and production of non-occluded recombinant virus (i.e., virus lacking the proteinaceous coat coded for by the polyhedrin gene). These recombinant viruses are then used to infect Spodoptera frugiperda cells in which the inserted gene is expressed. (e.g., see Smith et al., 1983, J. Viol. 46:584; Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,051).

In mammalian host cells, a number of viral based expression systems may be utilized. In cases where an adenovirus is used as an expression vector, the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence may be ligated to an adenovirus transcription/translation control complex, e.g., the late promoter and tripartite leader sequence. This chimeric gene may then be inserted in the adenovirus genome by in vitro or in vivo recombination. Insertion in a non-essential region of the viral genome (e.g., region E1 or E3) will result in a recombinant virus that is viable and capable of expressing Hu-B1.219 in infected hosts. (e.g., See Logan & Shenk, 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81:3655-3659). Alternatively, the vaccinia 7.5K promoter may be used. (See, e.g., Mackett et al., 1982, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79:7415-7419; Mackett et al., 1984, J. Virol. 49:857-864; Panicali et al., 1982, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79:4927-4931).

Specific initiation signals may also be required for efficient translation of inserted Hu-B1.219 coding sequences. These signals include the ATG initiation codon and adjacent sequences. In cases where the entire Hu-B1.219 gene, including its own initiation codon and adjacent sequences, is inserted into the appropriate expression vector, no additional translational control signals may be needed. However, in cases where only a portion of the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence is inserted, exogenous translational control signals, including the ATG initiation codon, must be provided. Furthermore, the initiation codon must be in phase with the reading frame of the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence to ensure translation of the entire insert. These exogenous translational control signals and initiation codons can be of a variety of origins, both natural and synthetic. The efficiency of expression may be enhanced by the inclusion of appropriate transcription enhancer elements, transcription terminators, etc. (see Bittner et al., 1987, Methods in Enzymol. 153:516-544).

In addition, a host cell strain may be chosen which modulates the expression of the inserted sequences, or modifies and processes the gene product in the specific fashion desired. Such modifications (e.g., glycosylation) and processing (e.g., cleavage) of protein products may be important for the function of the protein. The presence of several consensus N-glycosylation sites in the Hu-B1.219 extracellular domain support the possibility that proper modification may be important for Hu-B1.219 function. Different host cells have characteristic and specific mechanisms for the post-translational processing and modification of proteins. Appropriate cell lines or host systems can be chosen to ensure the correct modification and processing of the foreign protein expressed. To this end, eukaryotic host cells which possess the cellular machinery for proper processing of the primary transcript, glycosylation, and phosphorylation of the gene product may be used. Such mammalian host cells include but are not limited to CHO, VERO, BHK, HeLa, COS, MDCK, 293, WI38, etc.

For long-term, high-yield production of recombinant proteins, stable expression is preferred. For example, cell lines which stably express the Hu-B1.219 may be engineered. Rather than using expression vectors which contain viral origins of replication, host cells can be transformed with the Hu-B1.219 DNA controlled by appropriate expression control elements (e.g., promoter, enhancer, sequences, transcription terminators, polyadenylation sites, etc.), and a selectable marker. Following the introduction of foreign DNA, engineered cells may be allowed to grow for 1-2 days in an enriched media, and then are switched to a selective media. The selectable marker in the recombinant plasmid confers resistance to the selection and allows cells to stably integrate the plasmid into their chromosomes and grow to form foci which in turn can be cloned and expanded into cell lines. This method may advantageously be used to engineer cell lines which express the Hu-B1.219 on the cell surface. Such engineered cell lines are particularly useful in screening for ligands or drugs that affect Hu-B1.219 function.

A number of selection systems may be used, including but not limited to the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (Wigler, et al., 1977, Cell 11:223), hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Szybalska & Szybalski, 1962, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 48:2026), and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (Lowy, et al., 1980, Cell 22:817) genes can be employed in tk⁻, hgprt⁻ or aprt⁻ cells, respectively. Also, antimetabolite resistance can be used as the basis of selection for dhfr, which confers resistance to methotrexate (Wigler, et al., 1980, Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77:3567; O'Hare, et al., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:1527); gpt, which confers resistance to mycophenolic acid (Mulligan & Berg, 1981), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:2072); neo, which confers resistance to the aminoglycoside G-418 (Colberre-Garapin, et al., 1981, J. Mol. Biol. 150:1); and hygro, which confers resistance to hygromycin (Santerre, et al., 1984, Gene 30:147) genes. Recently, additional selectable genes have been described, namely trpB, which allows cells to utilize indole in place of tryptophan; hisD, which allows cells to utilize histinol in place of histidine (Hartman & Mulligan, 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85:8047); and ODC (ornithine decarboxylase) which confers resistance to the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, 2-(difluoromethyl)-DL-ornithine, DFMO (McConlogue L., 1987, In: Current Communications in Molecular Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ed.).

5.4. Identification of Cells that Express Hu-B1.219

The host cells which contain the coding sequence and which express the biologically active gene product may be identified by at least four general approaches; (a) DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA hybridization; (b) the presence or absence of "marker" gene functions; (c) assessing the level of transcription as measured by the expression of Hu-B1.219 mRNA transcripts in the host cell; and (d) detection of the gene product as measured by immunoassay or by its biological activity. Prior to the identification of gene expression, the host cells may be first mutagenized in an effort to increase the level of expression of Hu-B1.219, especially in cell lines that produce low amounts of Hu-B1.219.

In the first approach, the presence of the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence inserted in the expression vector can be detected by DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA hybridization using probes comprising nucleotide sequences that are homologous to the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence, respectively, or portions or derivatives thereof.

In the second approach, the recombinant expression vector/host system can be identified and selected based upon the presence or absence of certain "marker" gene functions (e.g., thymidine kinase activity, resistance to antibiotics, resistance to methotrexate, transformation phenotype, occlusion body formation in baculovirus, etc.). For example, if the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence is inserted within a marker gene sequence of the vector, recombinants containing the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence can be identified by the absence of the marker gene function. Alternatively, a marker gene can be placed in tandem with the Hu-B1.219 sequence under the control of the same or different promoter used to control the expression of the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence. Expression of the marker in response to induction or selection indicates expression of the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence.

In the third approach, transcriptional activity for the Hu-B1.219 coding region can be assessed by hybridization assays. For example, RNA can be isolated and analyzed by Northern blot using a probe homologous to the Hu-B1.219 coding sequence or particular portions thereof. Alternatively, total nucleic acids of the host cell may be extracted and assayed for hybridization to such probes.

In the fourth approach, the expression of the Hu-B1.219 protein product can be assessed immunologically, for example by Western blots, immunoassays such as radioimmuno-precipitation, enzyme-linked immunoassays and the like.

5.5. Uses of Hu-B1.219 Engineered Cell Lines

In an embodiment of the invention, the Hu-B1.219 receptor and/or cell lines that express the Hu-B1.219 receptor may be used to screen for antibodies, peptides, or other ligands that act as agonists or antagonists of the Hu-B1.219 receptor. For example, anti-Hu-B1.219 antibodies may be used to inhibit or stimulate receptor Hu-B1.219 function. Alternatively, screening of peptide libraries with recombinantly expressed soluble Hu-B1.219 protein or cell lines expressing Hu-B1.219 protein may be useful for identification of therapeutic molecules that function by inhibiting or stimulating the biological activity of Hu-B1.219. The uses of the Hu-B1.219 receptor and engineered cell lines, described in the subsections below, may be employed equally well for other members of the HR family.

In an embodiment of the invention, engineered cell lines which express most of the Hu-B1.219 coding region or its ligand binding domain or its ligand binding domain fused to another molecule such as the immunoglobulin constant region (Hollenbaugh and Aruffo, 1992, Current Protocols in Immunology, Unit 10.19; Aruffo et al., 1990, Cell 61:1303) may be utilized to produce a soluble receptor to screen and identify ligand antagonists as well as agonists. The soluble Hu-B1.219 protein or fusion protein may be used to identify a ligand in binding assays, affinity chromatography, immunoprecipitation, Western blot, and the like. Alternatively, the ligand binding domain of Hu-B1.219 may be fused to the coding sequence of the epidermal growth factor receptor transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions. This approach provides for the use of the epidermal growth factor receptor signal transduction pathway as a means for detecting ligands that bind to Hu-B1.219 in a manner capable of triggering an intracellular signal. Synthetic compounds, natural products, and other sources of potentially biologically active materials can be screened in a number of ways.

Random peptide libraries consisting of all possible combinations of amino acids attached to a solid phase support may be used to identify peptides that are able to bind to the ligand binding site of a given receptor or other functional domains of a receptor such as kinase domains (Lam, K. S. et al., 1991, Nature 354: 82-84). The screening of peptide libraries may have therapeutic value in the discovery of pharmaceutical agents that stimulate or inhibit the biological activity of receptors through their interactions with the given receptor.

Identification of molecules that are able to bind to the Hu-B1.219 may be accomplished by screening a peptide library with recombinant soluble Hu-B1.219 protein. Methods for expression and purification of Hu-B1.219 are described in Section 5.2, supra, and may be used to express recombinant full length Hu-B1.219 or fragments of Hu-B1.219 depending on the functional domains of interest. For example, the cytoplasmic and extracellular ligand binding domains of Hu-B1.219 may be separately expressed and used to screen peptide libraries.

To identify and isolate the peptide/solid phase support that interacts and forms a complex with Hu-B1.219, it is necessary to label or "tag" the Hu-B1.219 molecule. The Hu-B1.219 protein may be conjugated to enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase or horseradish peroxidase or to other reagents such as fluorescent labels which may include fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), phycoerythrin (PE) or rhodamine. Conjugation of any given label to Hu-B1.219 may be performed using techniques that are routine in the art. Alternatively, Hu-B1.219 expression vectors may be engineered to express a chimeric Hu-B1.219 protein containing an epitope for which a commercially available antibody exist. The epitope specific antibody may be tagged using methods well known in the art including labeling with enzymes, fluorescent dyes or colored or magnetic beads.

The "tagged" Hu-B1.219 conjugate is incubated with the random peptide library for 30 minutes to one hour at 22° C. to allow complex formation between Hu-B1.219 and peptide species within the library. The library is then washed to remove any unbound Hu-B1.219 protein. If Hu-B1.219 has been conjugated to alkaline phosphatase or horseradish peroxidase the whole library is poured into a petri dish containing substrates for either alkaline phosphatase or peroxidase, for example, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoyl phosphate (BCIP) or 3,3',4,4"-diaminobenzidine (DAB), respectively. After incubating for several minutes, the peptide/solid phase-Hu-B1.219 complex changes color, and can be easily identified and isolated physically under a dissecting microscope with a micromanipulator. If a fluorescent tagged Hu-B1.219 molecule has been used, complexes may be isolated by fluorescent activated sorting. If a chimeric Hu-B1.219 protein expressing a heterologous epitope has been used, detection of the peptide/Hu-B1.219 complex may be accomplished by using a labeled epitope specific antibody. Once isolated, the identity of the peptide attached to the solid phase support may be determined by peptide sequencing.

In addition to using soluble Hu-B1.219 molecules, in another embodiment, it is possible to detect peptides that bind to cell surface receptors using intact cells. The use of intact cells is preferred for use with receptors that are multi-subunits or labile or with receptors that require the lipid domain of the cell membrane to be functional. Methods for generating cell lines expressing Hu-B1.219 are described in Section 5.3. The cells used in this technique may be either live or fixed cells. The cells may be incubated with the random peptide library and bind to certain peptides in the library to form a "rosette" between the target cells and the relevant solid phase support/peptide. The rosette can thereafter be isolated by differential centrifugation or removed physically under a dissecting microscope.

As an alternative to whole cell assays for membrane bound receptors or receptors that require the lipid domain of the cell membrane to be functional, the receptor molecules can be reconstituted into liposomes where label or "tag" can be attached.

Various procedures known in the art may be used for the production of antibodies to epitopes of the recombinantly produced Hu-B1.219 receptor. Such antibodies include but are not limited to polyclonal, monoclonal, chimeric, single chain, Fab fragments and fragments produced by an Fab expression library. Neutralizing antibodies i.e., those which compete for the ligand binding site of the receptor are especially preferred for diagnostics and therapeutics.

Monoclonal antibodies that bind Hu-B1.219 may be radioactively labeled allowing one to follow their location and distribution in the body after injection. Radioisotope tagged antibodies may be used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for imaging de novo cells of tumors and metastases.

Immunotoxins may also be designed which target cytotoxic agents to specific sites in the body. For example, high affinity Hu-B1.219 specific monoclonal antibodies may be covalently complexed to bacterial or plant toxins, such as diphtheria toxin, abrin or ricin. A general method of preparation of antibody/hybrid molecules may involve use of thiol-crosslinking reagents such as SPDP, which attack the primary amino groups on the antibody and by disulfide exchange, attach the toxin to the antibody. The hybrid antibodies may be used to specifically eliminate Hu-B1.219 expressing tumor cells.

For the production of antibodies, various host animals may be immunized by injection with the Hu-B1.219 protein including but not limited to rabbits, mice, rats, etc. Various adjuvants may be used to increase the immunological response, depending on the host species, including but not limited to Freund's (complete and incomplete), mineral gels such as aluminum hydroxide, surface active substances such as lysolecithin, pluronic polyols, polyanions, peptides, oil emulsions, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, dinitrophenol, and potentially useful human adjuvants such as BCG (bacilli Calmette-Guerin) and Corynebacterium parvum.

Monoclonal antibodies to Hu-B1.219 may be prepared by using any technique which provides for the production of antibody molecules by continuous cell lines in culture. These include but are not limited to the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein, (Nature, 1975, 256:495-497), the human B-cell hybridoma technique (Kosbor et al., 1983, Immunology Today, 4:72; Cote et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 80:2026-2030) and the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al., 1985, Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96). In addition, techniques developed for the production of "chimeric antibodies" (Morrison et al., 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 81:6851-6855; Neuberger et al., 1984, Nature, 312:604-608; Takeda et al., 1985, Nature, 314:452-454) by splicing the genes from a mouse antibody molecule of appropriate antigen specificity together with genes from a human antibody molecule of appropriate biological activity can be used. Alternatively, techniques described for the production of single chain antibodies (U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,778) can be adapted to produce Hu-B1.219-specific single chain antibodies.

Antibody fragments which contain specific binding sites of Hu-B1.219 may be generated by known techniques. For example, such fragments include but are not limited to: the F(ab')₂ fragments which can be produced by pepsin digestion of the antibody molecule and the Fab fragments which can be generated by reducing the disulfide bridges of the F(ab')₂ fragments. Alternatively, Fab expression libraries may be constructed (Huse et al., 1989, Science, 246:1275-1281) to allow rapid and easy identification of monoclonal Fab fragments with the desired specificity to Hu-B1.219.

5.6. Uses of Hu-B1.219 Polynucleotide

An Hu-B1.219 polynucleotide may be used for diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes. For diagnostic purposes, an Hu-B1.219 polynucleotide may be used to detect Hu-B1.219 gene expression or aberrant Hu-B1.219 gene expression in disease states, e.g., chronic myelogenous leukemia. Included in the scope of the invention are oligonucleotide sequences, that include antisense RNA and DNA molecules and ribozymes, that function to inhibit translation of an Hu-B1.219.

5.6.1. Diagnostic Uses of an Hu-B1.219 Polynucleotide

An Hu-B1.219 polynucleotide may have a number of uses for the diagnosis of diseases resulting from aberrant expression of Hu-B1.219. For example, the Hu-B1.219 DNA sequence may be used in hybridization assays of biopsies or autopsies to diagnose abnormalities of Hu-B1.219 expression; e.g., Southern or Northern analysis, including in situ hybridization assays. Such techniques are well known in the art, and are in face the basis of many commercially available diagnostic kits.

5.6.2. Therapeutic Uses of an Hu-B1.219 Polynucleotide

An Hu-B1.219 polynucleotide may be useful in the treatment of various abnormal conditions. By introducing gene sequences into cells, gene therapy can be used to treat conditions in which the cells do not proliferate or differentiate normally due to underexpression of normal Hu-B1.219 or expression of abnormal/inactive Hu-B1.219. In some instances, the polynucleotide encoding an Hu-B1.219 is intended to replace or act in the place of a functionally deficient endogenous gene. Alternatively, abnormal conditions characterized by overproliferation can be treated using the gene therapy techniques described below.

Abnormal cellular proliferation is an important component of a variety of disease states. Recombinant gene therapy vectors, such as viral vectors, may be engineered to express variant, signalling incompetent forms of Hu-B1.219 which may be used to inhibit the activity of the naturally occurring endogenous Hu-B1.219. A signalling incompetent form may be, for example, a truncated form of the protein that is lacking all or part of its signal transduction domain. Such a truncated form may participate in normal binding to a substrate but lack signal transduction activity. Thus recombinant gene therapy vectors may be used therapeutically for treatment of diseases resulting from aberrant expression or activity of an Hu-B1.219. Accordingly, the invention provides a method of inhibiting the effects of signal transduction by an endogenous Hu-B1.219 protein in a cell comprising delivering a DNA molecule encoding a signalling incompetent form of the Hu-B1.219 protein to the cell so that the signalling incompetent Hu-B1.219 protein is produced in the cell and competes with the endogenous Hu-B1.219 protein for access to molecules in the Hu-B1.219 protein signalling pathway which activate or are activated by the endogenous Hu-B1.219 protein.

Expression vectors derived from viruses such as retroviruses, vaccinia virus, adeno-associated virus, herpes viruses, or bovine papilloma virus, may be used for delivery of recombinant Hu-B1.219 into the targeted cell population. Methods which are well known to those skilled in the art can be used to construct recombinant viral vectors containing an Hu-B1.219 polynucleotide sequence. See, for example, the techniques described in Maniatis et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York and Ausubel et al., 1989, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Greene Publishing Associates and Wiley Interscience, New York. Alternatively, recombinant Hu-B1.219 molecules can be reconstituted into liposomes for delivery to target cells.

Oligonucleotide sequences, that include anti-sense RNA and DNA molecules and ribozymes that function to inhibit the translation of an Hu-B1.219 mRNA are within the scope of the invention. Anti-sense RNA and DNA molecules act to directly block the translation of mRNA by binding to targeted mRNA and preventing protein translation. In regard to antisense DNA, oligodeoxyribonucleotides derived from the translation initiation site, e.g., between -10 and +10 regions of an Hu-B1.219 nucleotide sequence, are preferred.

Ribozymes are enzymatic RNA molecules capable of catalyzing the specific cleavage of RNA. The mechanism of ribozyme action involves sequence specific hybridization of the ribozyme molecule to complementary target RNA, followed by endonucleolytic cleavage. Within the scope of the invention are engineered hammerhead motif ribozyme molecules that specifically and efficiently catalyze endonucleolytic cleavage of Hu-B1.219 RNA sequences.

Specific ribozyme cleavage sites within any potential RNA target are initially identified by scanning the target molecule for ribozyme cleavage sites which include the following sequences, GUA, GUU and GUC. Once identified, short RNA sequences of between 15 and 20 ribonucleotides corresponding to the region of the target gene containing the cleavage site may be evaluated for predicted structural features such as secondary structure that may render the oligonucleotide sequence unsuitable. The suitability of candidate targets may also be evaluated by testing their accessibility to hybridization with complementary oligonucleotides, using ribonuclease protection assays.

Both anti-sense RNA and DNA molecules and ribozymes of the invention may be prepared by any method known in the art for the synthesis of RNA molecules. These include techniques for chemically synthesizing oligodeoxyribonucleotides well known in the art such as for example solid phase phosphoramidite chemical synthesis. Alternatively, RNA molecules may be generated by in vitro and in vivo transcription of DNA sequences encoding the antisense RNA molecule. Such DNA sequences may be incorporated into a wide variety of vectors which incorporate suitable RNA polymerase promoters such as the T7 or SP6 polymerase promoters. Alternatively, antisense cDNA constructs that synthesize antisense RNA constitutively or inducibly, depending on the promoter used, can be introduced stably into cell lines.

Various modifications to the DNA molecules may be introduced as a means of increasing intracellular stability and half-life. Possible modifications include but are not limited to the addition of flanking sequences of ribo- or deoxy-nucleotides to the 5' and/or 3' ends of the molecule or the use of phosphorothioate or 2' O-methyl rather than phosphodiesterase linkages within the oligodeoxyribonucleotide backbone.

Methods for introducing polynucleotides into such cells or tissue include methods for in vitro introduction of polynucleotides such as the insertion of naked polynucleotide, i.e., by injection into tissue, the introduction of an Hu-B1.219 polynucleotide in a cell ex vivo, i.e., for use in autologous cell therapy, the use of a vector such as a virus, retrovirus, phage or plasmid, etc. or techniques such as electroporation which may be used in vivo or ex vivo.

6. EXAMPLE: MOLECULAR CLONING OF A NOVEL HEMATOPOIETIN RECEPTOR COMPLEMENTARY DNA

6.1. Materials and Methods

6.1.1. Northern Blot Analysis

In order to study the expression of the Hu-B1.219 gene, Northern blots containing RNA obtained from a variety of human tissues (Clontech, Palo Alto, Calif.) were hybridized with a radiolabeled 530 base pair (bp) DNA probe corresponding to nucleotides #578 through 1107 (see FIGS. 2A-2G). Briefly, the blots were prehybridized at 42° C. for 3-6 hours in a solution containing 5× SSPE, 10× Denhardt's solution, 100 μg/ml freshly denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA, 50% formamide (freshly deionized), and 2% SDS. The radiolabeled probe was heat denatured and added to the prehybridization mix and allowed to hybridize at 42° C. for 18-24 hours with constant shaking. The blots were rinsed in 2× SSC, 0.05% SDS several times at room temperature before being transferred to a wash solution containing 0.1× SSC, 0.1% SDS and agitated at 50° C. for 40 minutes. The blots were then covered with plastic wrap, mounted on Whatman paper and exposed to x-ray film at -70° C. using an intensifying screen.

6.1.2. Reverse Transcription/Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT/PCR)

Total RNA was isolated using standard laboratory procedures (Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York). Approximately 1 μg of total RNA was reverse transcribed and the cDNA was amplified by PCR (Perkin Elmer, Norwalk, Conn.). The PCR amplification conditions were the same for Hu-B1.219 and Form 1 expression analysis. They were: 94° C. for 30 sec, 60° C. for 30 sec, 72° C. for 30 sec for a total of 40 cycles. The amplified products (224 bp for Hu-B1.219 and 816 bp for Form 1) were resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis and visualized by ethidium bromide staining. The Hu-B1.219 amplimers were GGTTTGCATATGGAAGTC (SEQ ID NO:2) (upper) and CCTGAACCATCCAGTCTCT (SEQ ID NO:3) (lower). The Form 1 specific amplimers were GACTCATTGTGCAGTGTTCAG (SEQ ID NO:3) (upper) and TAGTGGAGGGAGGGTCAGCAG (SEQ ID NO:4) (lower). The upper amplimer was commonly shared by all 3 forms, whereas the lower amplimer was Form 1-specific.

6.2. Results

A number of cDNA clones were isolated from a human fetal liver cDNA library (Clontech, Palo Alto, Calif.), and the DNA sequences of several of these clones were determined. These clones (Hu-B1.219 #4, #33, #34, #1, #36, #8, #55, #60, #3, #57, #62) contained overlapping sequences, which were then compiled into a contiguous nucleotide sequence. Both the cDNA sequence and predicted protein sequence from the cDNA are shown in FIGS. 2A-2G. This cDNA sequence contains two FN III domains, each containing a "WS box", which are characteristic of genes of the HR family. However, the Hu-B1.219 sequence is not identical to any known gene. Thus, this cDNA represents a novel member of the HR gene family, herein referred to as Hu-B1.219 (Table 1)

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Cytokine Receptor Gene FN III Domain Sizes (bp)                                    Gene       Human        Mouse   Rat                                        ______________________________________                                         Hu-B1.219 (5')                                                                            273                                                                   Hu-B1.219 (3') 282                                                             IL-2Rβ 291 288 291                                                        IL-2Rγ 273                                                               IL-3Rα 246 252                                                           IL-3RβAic2a  306 and 273                                                  IL-3RβAic2b 306 and 282 303 and 276                                       IL-4R 294  291                                                                 IL-5Rα 276 273                                                           IL-6R 288 285                                                                  gp130 288 291 288                                                              IL-7R  294                                                                     IL-9R 321 321                                                                  mpl  270                                                                       G-CSFR 300 297                                                                 GM-CSFR 288                                                                    CNTFR 282  285                                                                 PRLR   288                                                                     EPOR 288 285 288                                                               LIFR-1 321 and 297                                                           ______________________________________                                    

Based on the sequence of Hu-B1.219 presented in FIGS. 2A-2G, the translation initiation site appears at position #97. The sequence encodes an open reading frame up to and including nucleotide #2970. It is believed that the sequence between nucleotides #2614 and #2691 encodes a transmembrane domain. The complete sequence encodes a protein of 958 amino acids.

However, the sequence in FIGS. 2A-2G represents only one form of Hu-B1.219 cDNA sequence, herein referred to as Form 1. This is because additional lambda clones were discovered that contained different sequences near the 3' end known as Form 2 and Form 3. All three forms contain the identical sequence up to and including nucleotide #2770, then they diverge at nucleotide #2771 and beyond (FIG. 3A). An alignment of deduced amino acid sequences of all three forms corresponding to the 3' end from #2771 until a stop codon is shown in FIG. 3B. Two of the originally isolated lambda clones, #36 and #8, contain the 3' end sequences of Form 1 and Form 2, respectively. These three forms of Hu-B1.219 may derive from a common precursor mRNA by an alternative splicing mechanism.

It is noteworthy that the DNA sequence of Form 1 from nucleotide #2771 to the end is 98% identical to a human retrotransposon sequence that is thought to be derived from a human endogenous retroviral DNA sequence (Singer, 1982, Cell 28:433; Weiner et al., 1986, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 55:631; Lower et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:4480). In order to examine the expression of the different forms of cDNA, RT/PCR was performed using several human cell lines. The results in Table 2 show that Form 1 was expressed as RNA in K-562 cells and in a human fetal liver cDNA preparation. Since Hu-B1.219 was cloned from human fetal liver cDNA library, this served as a positive control. However, with respect to several other human cell lines, Form 1 was not detected, whereas Hu-B1.219 expression was positive. For example, Form 1 was not expressed in KGla cells, but Form 3 was expressed. Thus, it is possible that these three forms of Hu-B1.219 are not expressed simultaneously in the same cells. There may be selective expression of certain forms in particular cell populations.

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         RT/PCR Analysis of Hu-B1.219 Expression                                          Cell Lines         Hu-B1.219*                                                                               Form 1Δ                                                                         Form 3Δ                            ______________________________________                                         MRC5 (Lung fibroblast)                                                                          ++        +/-      +                                            KG1a (lymphoblast) + - ++                                                      Raji (B cell lymphoma) + - +                                                   Kit 225/KG (T cell) +++ - +                                                    K562 (myelogenous leukemia) ++++ +++ ++++                                      Human Fetal Liver (positive +++ +++ +++                                        control)                                                                     ______________________________________                                          *--Analysis by Northern blots                                                  Δ--Analysis by RT/PCR                                              

Various human tissue RNA were probed with a radiolabelled Hu-B1.219 fragment corresponding to nucleotide numbers from #578 to #1107 as disclosed in FIGS. 2A-2E for Northern blot analyses. Two different size mRNAs were detected. This result suggests that there may be another homologous gene or there is alternative splicing of a single RNA transcript. Hu-B1.219 expression was by far the strongest in human fetal tissues, particularly the liver and lung. Trace levels were found in several adult tissues. Interestingly, a chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line, K562, was strongly positive for its expression, while some expression was also detected in A549 cells, a lung carcinoma cell line (Table 3).

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         SUMMARY OF NORTHERN BLOT ANALYSIS OF                                             Hu-B1.219 GENE EXPRESSION                                                         Human Tissues/cell lines                                                                          Expression                                             ______________________________________                                         fetal       brain       -                                                         lung +++                                                                       liver +++++                                                                    kidney +                                                                      adult heart +                                                                   brain -                                                                        placenta +/-                                                                   lung +                                                                         liver +                                                                        skeletal muscle -                                                              kidney +/-                                                                     pancreas -                                                                     spleen -                                                                       thymus -                                                                       prostate -                                                                     testis -                                                                       ovary +                                                                        small intestine -                                                              colon -                                                                        peripheral blood -                                                             leukocytes                                                                    cancer HL-60 -                                                                  HeLa -                                                                         K-562 +++                                                                      MOLT-4 -                                                                       Raji -                                                                         SW480 -                                                                        A549 +                                                                         G361 -                                                                      ______________________________________                                    

Taken together, the data indicates that the Hu-B1.219 cDNA clone represents a new member of the human hematopoietin receptor family. A summary of the data that supports this conclusion is as follows:

1. The Hu-B1.219 DNA and protein sequences do not fully match any known sequences in the corresponding computer data bases.

2. Hu-B1.219 shares certain DNA sequence homology with the IL-6R and IL-4R.

3. It shares certain protein homology with G-CSFR, IL-6R, IL-3R beta chain, gp130, IL-12R, and LIFR.

4. It contains two "WS box" motifs with the correct spacing of conserved amino acids in the FN III domains (see FIG. 4).

5. It contains an amphipathic sequence in block 3 of the FN III domains (see FIG. 5).

6. It contains alternating hydrophobic and basic amino acids in block 6 of the FN III domains (see FIG. 6).

7. It contains conserved cysteines in these cysteine rich regions upstream of the FN III domains.

8. It was originally cloned from a hematopoietic tissue, fetal liver.

9. It is expressed by certain fetal tissues.

7. DEPOSIT OF MICROORGANISMS

The following organisms were deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852.

    ______________________________________                                         Strain Designation                                                                             Accession No.                                                  ______________________________________                                         HuB1.219, #1    75885                                                            HuB1.219, #4 75886                                                             HuB1.219, #8 75887                                                             HuB1.219, #33 75888                                                            HuB1.219, #34 75889                                                            HuB1.219, #36 75890                                                            HuB1.219, #55                                                                  HuB1.219, #60                                                                  HuB1.219, #3                                                                   HuB1.219, #57                                                                  HuB1.219, #62                                                                ______________________________________                                    

The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the exemplified embodiments, which are intended as illustrations of individual aspects of the invention. Indeed, various modifications for the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

All publications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

    __________________________________________________________________________     #             SEQUENCE LISTING                                                    - -  - - (1) GENERAL INFORMATION:                                              - -    (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 31                                           - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:1:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 5 amino - #acids                                                   (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:1:                         - - Trp Ser Xaa Trp Ser                                                         1               5                                                             - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 18 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA                                                - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:2:                         - - GGTTTGCATA TGGAAGTC             - #                  - #                       - #  18                                                                   - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 19 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA                                                - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:3:                         - - CCTGAACCAT CCAGTCTCT             - #                  - #                       - # 19                                                                    - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 21 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA                                                - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:4:                         - - GACTCATTGT GCAGTGTTCA G           - #                  - #                       - #21                                                                    - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:5:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 21 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA                                                - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:5:                         - - TAGTGGAGGG AGGGTCAGCA G           - #                  - #                       - #21                                                                    - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:6:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 2991 base - #pairs                                                 (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                               - -     (ix) FEATURE:                                                                   (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 1..2991                                                 - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:6:                         - - GCG CGC GCG ACG CAG GTG CCC GAG CCC CGG CC - #C GCG CCC ATC TCT GCC            48                                                                        Ala Arg Ala Thr Gln Val Pro Glu Pro Arg Pr - #o Ala Pro Ile Ser Ala              1               5 - #                 10 - #                 15               - - TTC GGT CGA GTT GGA CCC CCG GAT CAA GGT GT - #A CTT CTC TGA AGT AAG            96                                                                        Phe Gly Arg Val Gly Pro Pro Asp Gln Gly Va - #l Leu Leu  *  Ser Lys                         20     - #             25     - #             30                   - - ATG ATT TGT CAA AAA TTC TGT GTG GTT TTG TT - #A CAT TGG GAA TTT ATT           144                                                                        Met Ile Cys Gln Lys Phe Cys Val Val Leu Le - #u His Trp Glu Phe Ile                     35         - #         40         - #         45                       - - TAT GTG ATA ACT GCG TTT AAC TTG TCA TAT CC - #A ATT ACT CCT TGG AGA           192                                                                        Tyr Val Ile Thr Ala Phe Asn Leu Ser Tyr Pr - #o Ile Thr Pro Trp Arg                 50             - #     55             - #     60                           - - TTT AAG TTG TCT TGC ATG CCA CCA AAT TCA AC - #C TAT GAC TAC TTC CTT           240                                                                        Phe Lys Leu Ser Cys Met Pro Pro Asn Ser Th - #r Tyr Asp Tyr Phe Leu             65                 - # 70                 - # 75                 - # 80        - - TTG CCT GCT GGA CTC TCA AAG AAT ACT TCA AA - #T TCG AAT GGA CAT TAT           288                                                                        Leu Pro Ala Gly Leu Ser Lys Asn Thr Ser As - #n Ser Asn Gly His Tyr                             85 - #                 90 - #                 95               - - GAG ACA GCT GTT GAA CCT AAG TTT AAT TCA AG - #T GGT ACT CAC TTT TCT           336                                                                        Glu Thr Ala Val Glu Pro Lys Phe Asn Ser Se - #r Gly Thr His Phe Ser                        100      - #           105      - #           110                   - - AAC TTA TCC AAA GCA ACT TTC CAC TGT TGC TT - #T CGG AGT GAG CAA GAT           384                                                                        Asn Leu Ser Lys Ala Thr Phe His Cys Cys Ph - #e Arg Ser Glu Gln Asp                    115          - #       120          - #       125                       - - AGA AAC TGC TCC TTA TGT GCA GAC AAC ATT GA - #A GGA AGG ACA TTT GTT           432                                                                        Arg Asn Cys Ser Leu Cys Ala Asp Asn Ile Gl - #u Gly Arg Thr Phe Val                130              - #   135              - #   140                           - - TCA ACA GTA AAT TCT TTA GTT TTT CAA CAA AT - #A GAT GCA AAC TGG AAC           480                                                                        Ser Thr Val Asn Ser Leu Val Phe Gln Gln Il - #e Asp Ala Asn Trp Asn            145                 1 - #50                 1 - #55                 1 -       #60                                                                               - - ATA CAG TGC TGG CTA AAA GGA GAC TTA AAA TT - #A TTC ATC TGT TAT         GTG      528                                                                     Ile Gln Cys Trp Leu Lys Gly Asp Leu Lys Le - #u Phe Ile Cys Tyr Val                           165  - #               170  - #               175               - - GAG TCA TTA TTT AAG AAT CTA TTC AGG AAT TA - #T AAC TAT AAG GTC CAT           576                                                                        Glu Ser Leu Phe Lys Asn Leu Phe Arg Asn Ty - #r Asn Tyr Lys Val His                        180      - #           185      - #           190                   - - CTT TTA TAT GTT CTG CCT GAA GTG TTA GAA GA - #T TCA CCT CTG GTT CCC           624                                                                        Leu Leu Tyr Val Leu Pro Glu Val Leu Glu As - #p Ser Pro Leu Val Pro                    195          - #       200          - #       205                       - - CAA AAA GGC AGT TTT CAG ATG GTT CAC TGC AA - #T TGC AGT GTT CAT GAA           672                                                                        Gln Lys Gly Ser Phe Gln Met Val His Cys As - #n Cys Ser Val His Glu                210              - #   215              - #   220                           - - TGT TGT GAA TGT CTT GTG CCT GTG CCA ACA GC - #C AAA CTC AAC GAC ACT           720                                                                        Cys Cys Glu Cys Leu Val Pro Val Pro Thr Al - #a Lys Leu Asn Asp Thr            225                 2 - #30                 2 - #35                 2 -       #40                                                                               - - CTC CTT ATG TGT TTG AAA ATC ACA TCT GGT GG - #A GTA ATT TTC CGG         TCA      768                                                                     Leu Leu Met Cys Leu Lys Ile Thr Ser Gly Gl - #y Val Ile Phe Arg Ser                           245  - #               250  - #               255               - - CCT CTA ATG TCA GTT CAG CCC ATA AAT ATG GT - #G AAG CCT GAT CCA CCA           816                                                                        Pro Leu Met Ser Val Gln Pro Ile Asn Met Va - #l Lys Pro Asp Pro Pro                        260      - #           265      - #           270                   - - TTA GGT TTG CAT ATG GAA ATC ACA GAT GAT GG - #T AAT TTA AAG ATT TCT           864                                                                        Leu Gly Leu His Met Glu Ile Thr Asp Asp Gl - #y Asn Leu Lys Ile Ser                    275          - #       280          - #       285                       - - TGG TCC AGC CCA CCA TTG GTA CCA TTT CCA CT - #T CAA TAT CAA GTG AAA           912                                                                        Trp Ser Ser Pro Pro Leu Val Pro Phe Pro Le - #u Gln Tyr Gln Val Lys                290              - #   295              - #   300                           - - TAT TCA GAG AAT TCT ACA ACA GTT ATC AGA GA - #A GCT GAC AAG ATT GTC           960                                                                        Tyr Ser Glu Asn Ser Thr Thr Val Ile Arg Gl - #u Ala Asp Lys Ile Val            305                 3 - #10                 3 - #15                 3 -       #20                                                                               - - TCA GCT ACA TCC CTG CTA GTA GAC AGT ATA CT - #T CCT GGG TCT TCG         TAT     1008                                                                     Ser Ala Thr Ser Leu Leu Val Asp Ser Ile Le - #u Pro Gly Ser Ser Tyr                           325  - #               330  - #               335               - - GAG GTT CAG GTG AGG GGC AAG AGA CTG GAT GG - #C CCA GGA ATC TGG AGT          1056                                                                        Glu Val Gln Val Arg Gly Lys Arg Leu Asp Gl - #y Pro Gly Ile Trp Ser                        340      - #           345      - #           350                   - - GAC TGG AGT ACT CCT CGT GTC TTT ACC ACA CA - #A GAT GTC ATA TAC TTT          1104                                                                        Asp Trp Ser Thr Pro Arg Val Phe Thr Thr Gl - #n Asp Val Ile Tyr Phe                    355          - #       360          - #       365                       - - CCA CCT AAA ATT CTG ACA AGT GTT GGG TCT AA - #T GTT TCT TTT CAC TGC          1152                                                                        Pro Pro Lys Ile Leu Thr Ser Val Gly Ser As - #n Val Ser Phe His Cys                370              - #   375              - #   380                           - - ATC TAT AAG AAG GAA AAC AAG ATT GTT CCC TC - #A AAA GAG ATT GTT TGG          1200                                                                        Ile Tyr Lys Lys Glu Asn Lys Ile Val Pro Se - #r Lys Glu Ile Val Trp            385                 3 - #90                 3 - #95                 4 -       #00                                                                               - - TGG ATG AAT TTA GCT GAG AAA ATT CCT CAA AG - #C CAG TAT GAT GTT         GTG     1248                                                                     Trp Met Asn Leu Ala Glu Lys Ile Pro Gln Se - #r Gln Tyr Asp Val Val                           405  - #               410  - #               415               - - AGT GAT CAT GTT AGC AAA GTT ACT TTT TTC AA - #T CTG AAT GAA ACC AAA          1296                                                                        Ser Asp His Val Ser Lys Val Thr Phe Phe As - #n Leu Asn Glu Thr Lys                        420      - #           425      - #           430                   - - CCT CGA GGA AAG TTT ACC TAT GAT GCA GTG TA - #C TGC TGC AAT GAA CAT          1344                                                                        Pro Arg Gly Lys Phe Thr Tyr Asp Ala Val Ty - #r Cys Cys Asn Glu His                    435          - #       440          - #       445                       - - GAA TGC CAT CAT CGC TAT GCT GAA TTA TAT GT - #G ATT GAT GTC AAT ATC          1392                                                                        Glu Cys His His Arg Tyr Ala Glu Leu Tyr Va - #l Ile Asp Val Asn Ile                450              - #   455              - #   460                           - - AAT ATC TCA TGT GAA ACT GAT GGG TAC TTA AC - #T AAA ATG ACT TGC AGA          1440                                                                        Asn Ile Ser Cys Glu Thr Asp Gly Tyr Leu Th - #r Lys Met Thr Cys Arg            465                 4 - #70                 4 - #75                 4 -       #80                                                                               - - TGG TCA ACC AGT ACA ATC CAG TCA CTT GCG GA - #A AGC ACT TTG CAA         TTG     1488                                                                     Trp Ser Thr Ser Thr Ile Gln Ser Leu Ala Gl - #u Ser Thr Leu Gln Leu                           485  - #               490  - #               495               - - AGG TAT CAT AGG AGC AGC CTT TAC TGT TCT GA - #T ATT CCA TCT ATT CAT          1536                                                                        Arg Tyr His Arg Ser Ser Leu Tyr Cys Ser As - #p Ile Pro Ser Ile His                        500      - #           505      - #           510                   - - CCC ATA TCT GAG CCC AAA GAT TGC TAT TTG CA - #G AGT GAT GGT TTT TAT          1584                                                                        Pro Ile Ser Glu Pro Lys Asp Cys Tyr Leu Gl - #n Ser Asp Gly Phe Tyr                    515          - #       520          - #       525                       - - GAA TGC ATT TTC CAG CCA ATC TTC CTA TTA TC - #T GGC TAC ACA ATG TGG          1632                                                                        Glu Cys Ile Phe Gln Pro Ile Phe Leu Leu Se - #r Gly Tyr Thr Met Trp                530              - #   535              - #   540                           - - ATT AGG ATC AAT CAC TCT CTA GGT TCA CTT GA - #C TCT CCA CCA ACA TGT          1680                                                                        Ile Arg Ile Asn His Ser Leu Gly Ser Leu As - #p Ser Pro Pro Thr Cys            545                 5 - #50                 5 - #55                 5 -       #60                                                                               - - GTC CTT CCT GAT TCT GTG GTG AAG CCA CTG CC - #T CCA TCC AGT GTG         AAA     1728                                                                     Val Leu Pro Asp Ser Val Val Lys Pro Leu Pr - #o Pro Ser Ser Val Lys                           565  - #               570  - #               575               - - GCA GAA ATT ACT ATA AAC ATT GGA TTA TTG AA - #A ATA TCT TGG GAA AAG          1776                                                                        Ala Glu Ile Thr Ile Asn Ile Gly Leu Leu Ly - #s Ile Ser Trp Glu Lys                        580      - #           585      - #           590                   - - CCA GTC TTT CCA GAG AAT AAC CTT CAA TTC CA - #G ATT CGC TAT GGT TTA          1824                                                                        Pro Val Phe Pro Glu Asn Asn Leu Gln Phe Gl - #n Ile Arg Tyr Gly Leu                    595          - #       600          - #       605                       - - AGT GGA AAA GAA GTA CAA TGG AAG ATG TAT GA - #G GTT TAT GAT GCA AAA          1872                                                                        Ser Gly Lys Glu Val Gln Trp Lys Met Tyr Gl - #u Val Tyr Asp Ala Lys                610              - #   615              - #   620                           - - TCA AAA TCT GTC AGT CTC CCA GTT CCA GAC TT - #G TGT GCA GTC TAT GCT          1920                                                                        Ser Lys Ser Val Ser Leu Pro Val Pro Asp Le - #u Cys Ala Val Tyr Ala            625                 6 - #30                 6 - #35                 6 -       #40                                                                               - - GTT CAG GTG CGC TGT AAG AGG CTA GAT GGA CT - #G GGA TAT TGG AGT         AAT     1968                                                                     Val Gln Val Arg Cys Lys Arg Leu Asp Gly Le - #u Gly Tyr Trp Ser Asn                           645  - #               650  - #               655               - - TGG AGC AAT CCA GCC TAC ACA GTT GTC ATG GA - #T ATA AAA GTT CCT ATG          2016                                                                        Trp Ser Asn Pro Ala Tyr Thr Val Val Met As - #p Ile Lys Val Pro Met                        660      - #           665      - #           670                   - - AGA GGA CCT GAA TTT TGG AGA ATA ATT AAT GG - #A GAT ACT ATG AAA AAG          2064                                                                        Arg Gly Pro Glu Phe Trp Arg Ile Ile Asn Gl - #y Asp Thr Met Lys Lys                    675          - #       680          - #       685                       - - GAG AAA AAT GTC ACT TTA CTT TGG AAG CCC CT - #G ATG AAA AAT GAC TCA          2112                                                                        Glu Lys Asn Val Thr Leu Leu Trp Lys Pro Le - #u Met Lys Asn Asp Ser                690              - #   695              - #   700                           - - TTG TGC AGT GTT CAG AGA TAT GTG ATA AAC CA - #T CAT ACT TCC TGC AAT          2160                                                                        Leu Cys Ser Val Gln Arg Tyr Val Ile Asn Hi - #s His Thr Ser Cys Asn            705                 7 - #10                 7 - #15                 7 -       #20                                                                               - - GGA ACA TGG TCA GAA GAT GTG GGA AAT CAC AC - #G AAA TTC ACT TTC         CTG     2208                                                                     Gly Thr Trp Ser Glu Asp Val Gly Asn His Th - #r Lys Phe Thr Phe Leu                           725  - #               730  - #               735               - - TGG ACA GAG CAA GCA CAT ACT GTT ACG GTT CT - #G GCC ATC AAT TCA ATT          2256                                                                        Trp Thr Glu Gln Ala His Thr Val Thr Val Le - #u Ala Ile Asn Ser Ile                        740      - #           745      - #           750                   - - GGT GCT TCT GTT GCA AAT TTT AAT TTA ACC TT - #T TCA TGG CCT ATG AGC          2304                                                                        Gly Ala Ser Val Ala Asn Phe Asn Leu Thr Ph - #e Ser Trp Pro Met Ser                    755          - #       760          - #       765                       - - AAA GTA AAT ATC GTG CAG TCA CTC AGT GCT TA - #T CCT TTA AAC AGC AGT          2352                                                                        Lys Val Asn Ile Val Gln Ser Leu Ser Ala Ty - #r Pro Leu Asn Ser Ser                770              - #   775              - #   780                           - - TGT GTG ATT GTT TCC TGG ATA CTA TCA CCC AG - #T GAT TAC AAG CTA ATG          2400                                                                        Cys Val Ile Val Ser Trp Ile Leu Ser Pro Se - #r Asp Tyr Lys Leu Met            785                 7 - #90                 7 - #95                 8 -       #00                                                                               - - TAT TTT ATT ATT GAG TGG AAA AAT CTT AAT GA - #A GAT GGT GAA ATA         AAA     2448                                                                     Tyr Phe Ile Ile Glu Trp Lys Asn Leu Asn Gl - #u Asp Gly Glu Ile Lys                           805  - #               810  - #               815               - - TGG CTT AGA ATC TCT TCA TCT GTT AAG AAG TA - #T TAT ATC CAT GAT CAT          2496                                                                        Trp Leu Arg Ile Ser Ser Ser Val Lys Lys Ty - #r Tyr Ile His Asp His                        820      - #           825      - #           830                   - - TTT ATC CCC ATT GAG AAG TAC CAG TTC AGT CT - #T TAC CCA ATA TTT ATG          2544                                                                        Phe Ile Pro Ile Glu Lys Tyr Gln Phe Ser Le - #u Tyr Pro Ile Phe Met                    835          - #       840          - #       845                       - - GAA GGA GTG GGA AAA CCA AAG ATA ATT AAT AG - #T TTC ACT CAA GAT GAT          2592                                                                        Glu Gly Val Gly Lys Pro Lys Ile Ile Asn Se - #r Phe Thr Gln Asp Asp                850              - #   855              - #   860                           - - ATT GAA AAA CAC CAG AGT GAT GCA GGT TTA TA - #T GTA ATT GTG CCA GTA          2640                                                                        Ile Glu Lys His Gln Ser Asp Ala Gly Leu Ty - #r Val Ile Val Pro Val            865                 8 - #70                 8 - #75                 8 -       #80                                                                               - - ATT ATT TCC TCT TCC ATC TTA TTG CTT GGA AC - #A TTA TTA ATA TCA         CAC     2688                                                                     Ile Ile Ser Ser Ser Ile Leu Leu Leu Gly Th - #r Leu Leu Ile Ser His                           885  - #               890  - #               895               - - CAA AGA ATG AAA AAG CTA TTT TGG GAA GAT GT - #T CCG AAC CCC AAG AAT          2736                                                                        Gln Arg Met Lys Lys Leu Phe Trp Glu Asp Va - #l Pro Asn Pro Lys Asn                        900      - #           905      - #           910                   - - TGT TCC TGG GCA CAA GGA CTT AAT TTT CAG AA - #G ATG CTT GAA GGC AGC          2784                                                                        Cys Ser Trp Ala Gln Gly Leu Asn Phe Gln Ly - #s Met Leu Glu Gly Ser                    915          - #       920          - #       925                       - - ATG TTC GTT AAG AGT CAT CAC CAC TCC CTA AT - #C TCA AGT ACC CAG GGA          2832                                                                        Met Phe Val Lys Ser His His His Ser Leu Il - #e Ser Ser Thr Gln Gly                930              - #   935              - #   940                           - - CAC AAA CAC TGC GGA AGG CCA CAG GGT CCT CT - #G CAT AGG AAA ACC AGA          2880                                                                        His Lys His Cys Gly Arg Pro Gln Gly Pro Le - #u His Arg Lys Thr Arg            945                 9 - #50                 9 - #55                 9 -       #60                                                                               - - GAC CTT TGT TCA CTT GTT TAT CTG CTG ACC CT - #C CCT CCA CTA TTG         TCC     2928                                                                     Asp Leu Cys Ser Leu Val Tyr Leu Leu Thr Le - #u Pro Pro Leu Leu Ser                           965  - #               970  - #               975               - - TAT GAC CCT GCC AAA TCC CCC TCT GTG AGA AA - #C ACC CAA GAA TGA TCA          2976                                                                        Tyr Asp Pro Ala Lys Ser Pro Ser Val Arg As - #n Thr Gln Glu  *  Ser                        980      - #           985      - #           990                   - - ATA AAA AAA AAA AAA           - #                  - #                       - #  2991                                                                   Ile Lys Lys Lys Lys                                                                    995                                                                     - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:7:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 29 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:7:                      - - Ala Arg Ala Thr Gln Val Pro Glu Pro Arg Pr - #o Ala Pro Ile Ser Ala         1               5 - #                 10 - #                 15               - - Phe Gly Arg Val Gly Pro Pro Asp Gln Gly Va - #l Leu Leu                                20     - #             25                                          - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:8:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 960 amino - #acids                                                 (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:8:                      - - Ser Lys Met Ile Cys Gln Lys Phe Cys Val Va - #l Leu Leu His Trp Glu                         - #5                  - #10                  - #15            - - Phe Ile Tyr Val Ile Thr Ala Phe Asn Leu Se - #r Tyr Pro Ile Thr Pro                    20     - #             25     - #             30                   - - Trp Arg Phe Lys Leu Ser Cys Met Pro Pro As - #n Ser Thr Tyr Asp Tyr                35         - #         40         - #         45                       - - Phe Leu Leu Pro Ala Gly Leu Ser Lys Asn Th - #r Ser Asn Ser Asn Gly            50             - #     55             - #     60                           - - His Tyr Glu Thr Ala Val Glu Pro Lys Phe As - #n Ser Ser Gly Thr His       65                  - # 70                 - # 75                 - # 80        - - Phe Ser Asn Leu Ser Lys Ala Thr Phe His Cy - #s Cys Phe Arg Ser Glu                        85 - #                 90 - #                 95               - - Gln Asp Arg Asn Cys Ser Leu Cys Ala Asp As - #n Ile Glu Gly Arg Thr                   100      - #           105      - #           110                   - - Phe Val Ser Thr Val Asn Ser Leu Val Phe Gl - #n Gln Ile Asp Ala Asn               115          - #       120          - #       125                       - - Trp Asn Ile Gln Cys Trp Leu Lys Gly Asp Le - #u Lys Leu Phe Ile Cys           130              - #   135              - #   140                           - - Tyr Val Glu Ser Leu Phe Lys Asn Leu Phe Ar - #g Asn Tyr Asn Tyr Lys       145                 1 - #50                 1 - #55                 1 -       #60                                                                               - - Val His Leu Leu Tyr Val Leu Pro Glu Val Le - #u Glu Asp Ser Pro         Leu                                                                                              165  - #               170  - #               175              - - Val Pro Gln Lys Gly Ser Phe Gln Met Val Hi - #s Cys Asn Cys Ser Val                   180      - #           185      - #           190                   - - His Glu Cys Cys Glu Cys Leu Val Pro Val Pr - #o Thr Ala Lys Leu Asn               195          - #       200          - #       205                       - - Asp Thr Leu Leu Met Cys Leu Lys Ile Thr Se - #r Gly Gly Val Ile Phe           210              - #   215              - #   220                           - - Arg Ser Pro Leu Met Ser Val Gln Pro Ile As - #n Met Val Lys Pro Asp       225                 2 - #30                 2 - #35                 2 -       #40                                                                               - - Pro Pro Leu Gly Leu His Met Glu Ile Thr As - #p Asp Gly Asn Leu         Lys                                                                                              245  - #               250  - #               255              - - Ile Ser Trp Ser Ser Pro Pro Leu Val Pro Ph - #e Pro Leu Gln Tyr Gln                   260      - #           265      - #           270                   - - Val Lys Tyr Ser Glu Asn Ser Thr Thr Val Il - #e Arg Glu Ala Asp Lys               275          - #       280          - #       285                       - - Ile Val Ser Ala Thr Ser Leu Leu Val Asp Se - #r Ile Leu Pro Gly Ser           290              - #   295              - #   300                           - - Ser Tyr Glu Val Gln Val Arg Gly Lys Arg Le - #u Asp Gly Pro Gly Ile       305                 3 - #10                 3 - #15                 3 -       #20                                                                               - - Trp Ser Asp Trp Ser Thr Pro Arg Val Phe Th - #r Thr Gln Asp Val         Ile                                                                                              325  - #               330  - #               335              - - Tyr Phe Pro Pro Lys Ile Leu Thr Ser Val Gl - #y Ser Asn Val Ser Phe                   340      - #           345      - #           350                   - - His Cys Ile Tyr Lys Lys Glu Asn Lys Ile Va - #l Pro Ser Lys Glu Ile               355          - #       360          - #       365                       - - Val Trp Trp Met Asn Leu Ala Glu Lys Ile Pr - #o Gln Ser Gln Tyr Asp           370              - #   375              - #   380                           - - Val Val Ser Asp His Val Ser Lys Val Thr Ph - #e Phe Asn Leu Asn Glu       385                 3 - #90                 3 - #95                 4 -       #00                                                                               - - Thr Lys Pro Arg Gly Lys Phe Thr Tyr Asp Al - #a Val Tyr Cys Cys         Asn                                                                                            405    - #             410    - #             415                - - Glu His Glu Cys His His Arg Tyr Ala Glu Le - #u Tyr Val Ile Asp Val                   420      - #           425      - #           430                   - - Asn Ile Asn Ile Ser Cys Glu Thr Asp Gly Ty - #r Leu Thr Lys Met Thr              435           - #      440           - #      445                        - - Cys Arg Trp Ser Thr Ser Thr Ile Gln Ser Le - #u Ala Glu Ser Thr Leu           450              - #   455              - #   460                           - - Gln Leu Arg Tyr His Arg Ser Ser Leu Tyr Cy - #s Ser Asp Ile Pro Ser       465                 4 - #70                 4 - #75                 4 -       #80                                                                               - - Ile His Pro Ile Ser Glu Pro Lys Asp Cys Ty - #r Leu Gln Ser Asp         Gly                                                                                                - #  485               - #  490               - #          495                                                                               - - Phe Tyr Glu Cys Ile Phe Gln Pro Ile Phe Le - #u Leu Ser Gly Tyr         Thr                                                                                          500      - #           505      - #           510                   - - Met Trp Ile Arg Ile Asn His Ser Leu Gly Se - #r Leu Asp Ser Pro         Pro                                                                                      515          - #       520          - #       525                       - - Thr Cys Val Leu Pro Asp Ser Val Val Lys Pr - #o Leu Pro Pro Ser         Ser                                                                                  530              - #   535              - #   540                           - - Val Lys Ala Glu Ile Thr Ile Asn Ile Gly Le - #u Leu Lys Ile Ser         Trp                                                                              545                 5 - #50                 5 - #55                 5 -      #60                                                                              - - Glu Lys Pro Val Phe Pro Glu Asn Asn Leu Gl - #n Phe Gln Ile Arg Tyr                       565  - #               570  - #               575               - - Gly Leu Ser Gly Lys Glu Val Gln Trp Lys Me - #t Tyr Glu Val Tyr Asp                   580      - #           585      - #           590                   - - Ala Lys Ser Lys Ser Val Ser Leu Pro Val Pr - #o Asp Leu Cys Ala Val               595          - #       600          - #       605                       - - Tyr Ala Val Gln Val Arg Cys Lys Arg Leu As - #p Gly Leu Gly Tyr Trp           610             6 - #15                 6 - #20                 6 -       #25                                                                               - - Ser Asn Trp Ser Asn Pro Ala Tyr Thr Val Va - #l Met Asp Ile Lys         Val                                                                                              630  - #               635  - #               640              - - Pro Met Arg Gly Pro Glu Phe Trp Arg Ile Il - #e Asn Gly Asp Thr Met                       645  - #               650  - #               655               - - Lys Lys Glu Lys Asn Val Thr Leu Leu Trp Ly - #s Pro Leu Met Lys Asn                   660      - #           665      - #           670                   - - Asp Ser Leu Cys Ser Val Gln Arg Tyr Val Il - #e Asn His His Thr Ser               675          - #       680          - #       685                       - - Cys Asn Gly Thr Trp Ser Glu Asp Val Gly As - #n His Thr Lys Phe Thr           690              - #   695              - #   700                           - - Phe Leu Trp Thr Glu Gln Ala His Thr Val Th - #r Val Leu Ala Ile Asn       705                 7 - #10                 7 - #15                 7 -       #20                                                                               - - Ser Ile Gly Ala Ser Val Ala Asn Phe Asn Le - #u Thr Phe Ser Trp         Pro                                                                                              725  - #               730  - #               735              - - Met Ser Lys Val Asn Ile Val Gln Ser Leu Se - #r Ala Tyr Pro Leu Asn                   740      - #           745      - #           750                   - - Ser Ser Cys Val Ile Val Ser Trp Ile Leu Se - #r Pro Ser Asp Tyr Lys               755          - #       760          - #       765                       - - Leu Met Tyr Phe Ile Ile Glu Trp Lys Asn Le - #u Asn Glu Asp Gly Glu           770              - #   775              - #   780                           - - Ile Lys Trp Leu Arg Ile Ser Ser Ser Val Ly - #s Lys Tyr Tyr Ile His       785                 7 - #90                 7 - #95                 8 -       #00                                                                               - - Asp His Phe Ile Pro Ile Glu Lys Tyr Gln Ph - #e Ser Leu Tyr Pro         Ile                                                                                              805  - #               810  - #               815              - - Phe Met Glu Gly Val Gly Lys Pro Lys Ile Il - #e Asn Ser Phe Thr Gln                   820      - #           825      - #           830                   - - Asp Asp Ile Glu Lys His Gln Ser Asp Ala Gl - #y Leu Tyr Val Ile Val               835          - #       840          - #       845                       - - Pro Val Ile Ile Ser Ser Ser Ile Leu Leu Le - #u Gly Thr Leu Leu Ile           850              - #   855              - #   860                           - - Ser His Gln Arg Met Lys Lys Leu Phe Trp Gl - #u Asp Val Pro Asn Pro       865                 8 - #70                 8 - #75                 8 -       #80                                                                               - - Lys Asn Cys Ser Trp Ala Gln Gly Leu Asn Ph - #e Gln Lys Met Leu         Glu                                                                                              885  - #               890  - #               895              - - Gly Ser Met Phe Val Lys Ser His His His Se - #r Leu Ile Ser Ser Thr                   900      - #           905      - #           910                   - - Gln Gly His Lys His Cys Gly Arg Pro Gln Gl - #y Pro Leu His Arg Lys               915          - #       920          - #       925                       - - Thr Arg Asp Leu Cys Ser Leu Val Tyr Leu Le - #u Thr Leu Pro Pro Leu           930              - #   935              - #   940                           - - Leu Ser Tyr Asp Pro Ala Lys Ser Pro Ser Va - #l Arg Asn Thr Gln Glu       945                 9 - #50                 9 - #55                 9 -       #60                                                                               - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:9:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 6 amino - #acids                                                   (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:9:                      - - Ser Ile Lys Lys Lys Lys                                                                    5                                                              - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:10:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 241 base - #pairs                                                  (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                               - -     (ix) FEATURE:                                                                   (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 2..241                                                  - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:10:                        - - A GGA CTT AAT TTT CAG AAG ATG CTT GAA GGC - #AGC ATG TTC GTT AAG              46                                                                          Gly Leu Asn Phe Gln Lys Met Leu Glu G - #ly Ser Met Phe Val Lys                  1              - # 5                 - # 10                 - # 15          - - AGT CAT CAC CAC TCC CTA ATC TCA AGT ACC CA - #G GGA CAC AAA CAC TGC            94                                                                        Ser His His His Ser Leu Ile Ser Ser Thr Gl - #n Gly His Lys His Cys                             20 - #                 25 - #                 30               - - GGA AGG CCA CAG GGT CCT CTG CAT AGG AAA AC - #C AGA GAC CTT TGT TCA           142                                                                        Gly Arg Pro Gln Gly Pro Leu His Arg Lys Th - #r Arg Asp Leu Cys Ser                         35     - #             40     - #             45                   - - CTT GTT TAT CTG CTG ACC CTC CCT CCA CTA TT - #G TCC TAT GAC CCT GCC           190                                                                        Leu Val Tyr Leu Leu Thr Leu Pro Pro Leu Le - #u Ser Tyr Asp Pro Ala                     50         - #         55         - #         60                       - - AAA TCC CCC TCT GTG AGA AAC ACC CAA GAA TG - #A TCA ATA AAA AAA AAA           238                                                                        Lys Ser Pro Ser Val Arg Asn Thr Gln Glu  - #*  Ser Ile Lys Lys Lys                  65             - #     70             - #     75                           - - AAA                  - #                  - #                  - #                 241                                                                   Lys                                                                             80                                                                             - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:11:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 73 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:11:                     - - Gly Leu Asn Phe Gln Lys Met Leu Glu Gly Se - #r Met Phe Val Lys Ser         1               5 - #                 10 - #                 15               - - His His His Ser Leu Ile Ser Ser Thr Gln Gl - #y His Lys His Cys Gly                    20     - #             25     - #             30                   - - Arg Pro Gln Gly Pro Leu His Arg Lys Thr Ar - #g Asp Leu Cys Ser Leu                35         - #         40         - #         45                       - - Val Tyr Leu Leu Thr Leu Pro Pro Leu Leu Se - #r Tyr Asp Pro Ala Lys            50             - #     55             - #     60                           - - Ser Pro Ser Val Arg Asn Thr Gln Glu                                       65                  - # 70                                                      - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:12:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 6 amino - #acids                                                   (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:12:                     - - Ser Ile Lys Lys Lys Lys                                                                    5                                                              - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:13:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 130 base - #pairs                                                  (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                               - -     (ix) FEATURE:                                                                   (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 2..130                                                  - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:13:                        - - A GGA CTT AAT TTT CAG AAG AAA ATG CCT GGC - #ACA AAG GAA CTA CTG              46                                                                           Gly Leu Asn Phe Gln Lys Lys Met Pro G - #ly Thr Lys Glu Leu Leu                  1              - # 5                 - # 10                 - # 15          - - GGT GGA GGT TGG TTG ACT TAG GAA ATG CTT GT - #G AAG CTA CGT CCT ACC            94                                                                        Gly Gly Gly Trp Leu Thr  *  Glu Met Leu - # Val Lys Leu Arg Pro Thr                             20 - #                 25 - #                 30               - - TCG TGC GCA CCT GCT CTC CCT GAG GTG TGC AC - #A ATG                      - #      130                                                                     Ser Cys Ala Pro Ala Leu Pro Glu Val Cys Th - #r Met                                         35     - #             40                                          - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:14:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 21 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:14:                     - - Gly Leu Asn Phe Gln Lys Lys Met Pro Gly Th - #r Lys Glu Leu Leu         Gly                                                                                1               5 - #                 10 - #                 15              - - Gly Gly Trp Leu Thr                                                                    20                                                                 - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:15:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 21 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:15:                     - - Glu Met Leu Val Lys Leu Arg Pro Thr Ser Cy - #s Ala Pro Ala Leu Pro                        5 - #                  - #10                  - #15            - - Glu Val Cys Thr Met                                                                    20                                                                 - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:16:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 127 base - #pairs                                                  (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                               - -     (ix) FEATURE:                                                                   (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 2..127                                                  - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:16:                        - - A GGA CTT AAT TTT CAG AAG AGA ACG GAC ATT - #CTT TGA AGT CTA ATC              46                                                                           Gly Leu Asn Phe Gln Lys Arg Thr Asp I - #le Leu  *  Ser Leu Ile                  1              - # 5                 - # 10                 - # 15          - - ATG ATC ACT ACA GAT GAA CCC AAT GTG CCA AC - #T TCC CAA CAG TCT ATA            94                                                                        Met Ile Thr Thr Asp Glu Pro Asn Val Pro Th - #r Ser Gln Gln Ser Ile                             20 - #                 25 - #                 30               - - GAG TAT TAG AAG ATT TTT ACA TTC TGA AGA AG - #G                  -       #        127                                                                     Glu Tyr  *  Lys Ile Phe Thr Phe  *  - #Arg Arg                                              35     - #             40                                          - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:17:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 11 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:17:                     - - Gly Leu Asn Phe Gln Lys Arg Thr Asp Ile Le - #u                                             - #5                  - #10                                   - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:18:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 21 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:18:                     - - Ser Leu Ile Met Ile Thr Thr Asp Glu Pro As - #n Val Pro Thr Ser         Gln                                                                                                - #5                  - #10                  - #15           - - Gln Ser Ile Glu Tyr                                                                    20                                                                 - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:19:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 5 amino - #acids                                                   (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -           (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: - # SEQ ID NO:19:                     - - Lys Ile Phe Thr Phe                                                                      5                                                                - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:20:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 13 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:20:                        - - Glu Pro Tyr Leu Glu Phe Glu Ala Arg Arg Ar - #g Leu Leu                   1               5   - #                10                                       - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:21:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 13 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:21:                        - - Glu His Leu Val Gln Tyr Arg Thr Asp Trp As - #p His Ser                   1               5   - #                10                                       - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:22:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 13 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:22:                        - - Asp His Cys Phe Asn Tyr Glu Leu Lys Ile Ty - #r Asn Thr                   1               5   - #                10                                       - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:23:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 13 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:23:                        - - Thr Thr His Ile Arg Tyr Glu Val Asp Val Se - #r Ala Gly                   1               5   - #                10                                       - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:24:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 13 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:24:                        - - Pro Phe Pro Leu Gln Tyr Gln Val Lys Tyr Gl - #n Val Lys                   1               5   - #                10                                       - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:25:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 13 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:25:                        - - Gln Phe Gln Ile Arg Tyr Gly Leu Ser Gly Ly - #s Glu Val                   1               5   - #                10                                       - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:26:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 15 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:26:                        - - Ser Thr Ser Tyr Glu Val Gln Val Arg Val Ly - #s Ala Gln Arg Asn           1               5   - #                10  - #                15                - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:27:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 15 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:27:                        - - Gln Lys Arg Tyr Thr Phe Arg Val Arg Ser Ar - #g Phe Asn Pro Leu           1               5   - #                10  - #                15                - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:28:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 15 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:28:                        - - Leu Ser Lys Tyr Asp Val Gln Val Arg Ala Al - #a Val Ser Ser Met           1               5   - #                10  - #                15                - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:29:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 15 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:29:                        - - Gly Thr Arg Tyr Thr Phe Ala Val Arg Ala Ar - #g Met Ala Pro Ser           1               5   - #                10  - #                15                - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:30:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 15 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:30:                        - - Gly Ser Ser Tyr Glu Val Gln Val Arg Gly Ly - #s Arg Leu Asp Gly           1               5   - #                10  - #                15                - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:31:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 15 amino - #acids                                                  (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS:                                                              (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                            - -         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ - #ID NO:31:                        - - Cys Ala Val Tyr Ala Val Gln Val Arg Cys Ly - #s Arg Leu Asp Gly           1               5   - #                10  - #                15              __________________________________________________________________________ 

What is claimed is:
 1. An antibody which specifically binds to a receptor polypeptide, said receptor polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:8 from residues #3 to #893, or a fragment of the antibody that binds said receptor polypeptide.
 2. The antibody of claim 1 which recognizes a structurally unique site in the polypeptide.
 3. The fragment of the antibody of claim 1 which is a Fab, or F(ab')₂.
 4. An antibody which specifically binds to a receptor polypeptide, said receptor polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:8 from residues #3 to #960, or a fragment of the antibody that binds said receptor polypeptide.
 5. The antibody of claim 4 which recognizes a structurally unique site in the polypeptide.
 6. The fragment of the antibody of claim 4 which is a Fab, or F(ab')₂.
 7. An antibody which specifically binds to a polypeptide, said receptor polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:8 from residues #3 to #887 which is immediately followed by the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:14 or a fragment of the antibody that binds said receptor polypeptide.
 8. The antibody of claim 7 which recognizes a structurally unique site in the polypeptide.
 9. The fragment of the antibody of claim 7 which is a Fab, or F(ab')₂.
 10. An antibody which specifically binds to a polypeptide, said receptor polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:8 from residues #3 to #887 which is immediately followed by the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:17 or a fragment of the antibody that binds said receptor polypeptide.
 11. The antibody of claim 10 which recognizes a structurally unique site in the polypeptide.
 12. The fragment of the antibody of claim 10 which is a Fab, or F(ab')₂.
 13. The antibody of claim 1, 4, 7 or 10 which is a polyclonal antibody.
 14. The antibody of claim 1, 4, 7 or 10 which is a monoclonal antibody. 